DiPrete Engineering continues Garden City Center expansion

Cranston, RI Garden City Center, a 500,000 s/f mixed-use center comprising retail, restaurant, and office space located on Rte. 2, is currently in the fifth phase of its expansion, with foundations set and steel being erected for 30,000 s/f of new restaurant and retail space. The shopping center’s expansion is in response to a growing interest from restaurants and retailers looking to join Garden City to reach their diverse customer base.

Tenants in the new building include Legal C Bar, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Tavern in the Square, and The Simple Greek. There is also space for four to six more retail tenants. Given the center’s limited real estate, the new building will be nestled in between a large retaining wall and the main loop road throughout the center. The close quarters create narrow corridors to weave utilities throughout and around existing and proposed infrastructure.

“This multi-phase expansion has required a great deal of attention to construction detail, careful consideration for handicap accessible routes, and phasing to allow for safe circulation of customers,” said Sheryl Guglielmo, project manager at DiPrete Engineering. “Careful coordination between the development team, property managers, and design and construction team on a project like this is very important.”

The new construction follows the recent completion of the conversion of the former Office Max building into LL Bean, Pearle Vision, and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. DiPrete Engineering has been collaborating with The Wilder Companies since 2012, when Tom Wilder first had the vision to bridge the gap between the Village and the Commons which brought the construction of Pottery Barn and J. Crew. It has been five straight years of revitalization at Garden City Center.

The design team for the current expansions includes DiPrete Engineering, Prellwitz Chilinski Associates,  John C. Carter and Company, GZA Geo Environmental Inc., and Avid Engineering. CMB – Construction Management and Builders is expected to be finished with construction by spring.

DiPrete Engineering completed the topographic and utility survey, site engineering, regulatory permitting, and construction documentation, and is assisting the team with construction oversight.

Attorney Bob Murray of Taft and McSally and DiPrete Engineering led the project through the regulatory approval process. This included approvals through the City of Cranston Development Plan Review committee and the City Planning Commission. State approval was obtained through the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) for a RI Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (RIPDES) approval.